Facade
by Kay-chanLufU
Summary: Draco notices that the unusually silent Harry is covered in bruises, so what happens when the Slytherin confronts Harry about it? Not yaoi, but give it a chance! Rated for slight language and mentions of abuse.


**So I was online playing Pottermore, when this idea came to my mind and I wrote this all in one sitting. I hope you like it, please leave a review. :)**

**Warnings: Slight language.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this, Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.**

**This takes place when they're around 12 or 13. **

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><p><strong>Facade<strong>

**-x-**

**Draco's P.O.V.**

I first noticed this during dinner in the Dining Hall. It had been my first day back at Hogwarts', and I don't know why- but I kept looking around for_ him_. Potter, I mean. I wanted to see his face, I wanted to see how much that show off had accomplished over such a small period of time. I guess you could call me jealous, but I'd never admit to something like that out loud. Anyway, I noticed him a few tables away, sitting by Granger and Weasley who were trying to make small talk with him. He looked angry or sad, he just stared at his plate and kept that dull look in his eyes. He didn't smile, he didn't talk- he was just _there_.

At first I wondered what that loser was so damn depressed about. I mean, he was the boy who lived, Harry Potter. He was loved my most everyone and was amazing at, well, everything. What could he possibly be unhappy about? He was always happy, with that nasty smile of his on his face. I kept staring, and noticed his friends had altogether stopped trying to make conversation with him and carried on with their meals. _"Bizarre." _I thought to myself. Usually he'd be laughing with his friends and catching up. I guess he noticed how I was studying him, because he caught my eye and actually _glared _at me. Not just a glare, but one that said "_burn in hell__"_. That was when things started to get too strange and I decided to continue chatting amongst my own group.

The next day I was heading to class and thinking about yesterday afternoon in the Dining Hall, when I noticed a black blotch in the side of my vision on the floor against the wall. I turned my head, and it was none other than Harry Potter. _"This should be a good time to mess with his head." _I thought to myself as I snickered. I walked up to him, but he kept his head down and never noticed me. "Hey, Potter." As soon as I uttered those words he jumped, flattening against the wall and shielding his face as if expecting a mighty blow to come his way. And as I stood there, I couldn't help but gape at his wrists, his robe's sleeve sliding down his arm, revealing black, blue and red bruises littered around the limb. His wrist was especially bad, what with being decorated with fingerprints of many colors.

"S-sorry... I, um, was thinking... you startled me." He stuttered as he covered his arm quickly.

I stared at him oddly. "Wh... What happened to your arm?" I asked awkwardly.

"... You should be heading to class." He told me.

That ticked me off. Who was he to be saying that? I scoffed at him and sat down by his side. "I could say the same to you. Answer my question."

He laughed airily and said, "I don't have to tell you a damn thing."

I was about to blow when I noticed his neck. It was equally bruised and swollen, only slightly visible from the collar of his robe. "Just answer it." I said with annoyance.

He looked at me and squinted his green eyes, "Since when did you care?"

It took me a second to reply. "I don't care. Just curious."

He let out a huff and sat back against the wall. We sat there in silence for a while- both of us not caring if we missed class, or of the consequences that would come of it. And then he spoke. "I burnt breakfast."

I took me some time to process this. "What?" I asked. I was truly confused, was he trying to mess with me or something?

Potter smiled sadly and explained, "A couple of days ago, I was making breakfast for Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudley. I burnt some of it and Vernon got angry with me."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "So... he beat you up?" Potter nodded and shrugged. "Why... don't you just tell someone?"

After a while I thought he wasn't going to answer me, but then he said in a hushed whisper, "Because I'm afraid."

And that, my friend, was the thing that shocked me the most. I thought Harry Potter had been this arrogant, fearless snob ready to take on anyone. And that was also the day I had admitted to myself that I'd thought wrong. Very wrong indeed.

"Draco."

I was stunned that he'd called me by my first name. "Y-yeah?"

"Uncle Vernon said that one of these days he'd ought to strangle and gut me... do you think he might? ... 'Cause I don't think I want to die." I could hear his fear settle deep into that sentence, making it come out airy and shaky. His pupils were dilated and he'd braced his knees against his chest. I was starting to question his sanity.

"No." I answered after a while.

"Why?"

"Because... I'm the only one who can bully you." And for the first time since arriving to Hogwarts that year I saw him smile genuinely. It was also the first time since I had met him that I'd seen him cry.

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><p><strong>This was hard to write. *tear* I hate making a lot of my favorite characters sad... but I like the plot too much!<strong>

**Please review if you liked this! It would make me very happy! :D**


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